San Francisco emergency medical services can now transport suspected stroke patients to Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal Campus, giving patients in the Mission, Bernal Heights and surrounding neighborhoods another option for specialized stroke care.
Until now, ambulances carrying suspected stroke patients bypassed CPMC Mission Bernal because it was not part of San Francisco’s designated stroke receiving network. Patients were instead taken to other certified stroke centers.
About 300 patients are expected to benefit each year.
“A stroke is a medical emergency, and getting patients to the right care as soon as possible can make a difference in outcomes,” said Dr. Rana Moosavi, program service leader for Stroke and Neurocritical Care at CPMC Mission Bernal. “When EMS brings a patient to Mission Bernal, our team is ready to begin evaluating them as soon as they arrive and determine the treatment they need.”
Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal Campus hospital Emergency Department drop-off. The ED entrance is located directly on 27th Street (off San Jose Avenue), while the main hospital address is 3555 Cesar Chavez Street, San Francisco, CA 94110.
A Coordinated Response
The new pathway was developed through months of planning between CPMC and San Francisco EMS. When EMS identifies a possible stroke, crews can notify Mission Bernal before arrival, allowing emergency physicians, neurologists and stroke specialists to prepare for the patient and streamline the handoff from ambulance to treatment.
Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal Campus hospital
Mission Bernal joins CPMC’s Davies and Van Ness campuses in providing specialized stroke care in San Francisco. Mission Bernal is now a Primary Stroke Center, Davies is a Comprehensive Stroke Center, while Van Ness is a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center, where specialists can perform advanced procedures to remove blood clots from the brain.
“Mission Bernal’s designation is an important addition to Sutter’s stroke care network in San Francisco,” said Dr. Nobl Barazangi, chief of stroke for Sutter Health’s neuroscience service line. “Together with our Davies and Van Ness campuses, we’re expanding access to specialized stroke care across the city and helping ensure patients can receive the right treatment at the right time.”
Expanding Neurological Services
The new designation is part of Sutter’s broader investment in neurological services at Mission Bernal. Two neurointerventional suites are being added by 2027 to expand access to advanced treatments for conditions including certain types of stroke.
A $442 million Advanced Neuroscience & Spine Care Complex is also under construction next to the hospital and is expected to open in 2028.
